Step 1: Materials...

Items you need for this project:

Several large shipping boxes made from corrugated cardboard. The tighter the corrugation the better.
Several sheets of non-corrugated composite cardboard like cereal boxes or the back of notepads
2 fully threaded bolts or a threaded rod
4 geared guitar or ukulele tuners with flanged bushings
1 set of soprano ukulele strings
12 1.5" long cotter pins
2 small hinges
1 bottle of wood glue
2 wood screws (1.5 - 2 inches)

Step 2: Templates...

Attached are word files (now also in PDF!) with templates for the body and neck. Print and cut out each template. Glue these templates onto some thin cardboard or cardstock (I used a file folder) because you will be using them a lot. In the files, the templates are labeled as follows:

Step 3: Trace templates...

Trace the templates on to the corrugated cardboard. You will need the following number of pieces (save some extra pieces of cardboard in case you need more later):

Body A: 1
Body B: 9
Body C: 1

Neck A: 6
Neck B: 7

Tips:
1) The majority of the body pieces should be cut with the lines of the cardboard running along the length of the piece.
2) Mix in a few pieces of "Body B" cut in other directions to provide strength in all directions.
3) For the neck, cut the pieces in a variety of orientations, but avoid any with the lines running along the neck.
4) Avoid any areas of the cardboard that has dents or wrinkles.

Step 4: A couple more...

Trace Body A and Body B onto non-corrugated composite carboard sheet (the back of a legal pad or thick cereal box should work). Do not cut the notch out of the Body B piece.

I completed the ukulele (with changes) i had to make the neck out of a chair i found because someone stepped on the card board one and broke it. I used bamboo twigs for frets and used a picture hanger for the string base. And of course, Bob is the only suitable name for a home made ukulele :)

I don't know how I am just seeing this now. I like the friction tuners. I've been doing some brainstorming about how to make some hardware store "friction" tuners compatible with cardboard. Not time to experiment right now. Maybe one day. I like your improvisation.

I helped my daughter make it for a 7th grade science assignment. We had to modify because she could only use "recycled" items and no musical instrument parts. We used different weights of nylon fishing line for the strings, toothpicks for the frets and eyebolts and nuts for the tuners. The only thing we bought was the small hinges. The "paint" job was done using food coloring and shaving cream on thin stock that we attached to the composite board before putting it together. (We did have to make the neck thinner.) When it was all together, it worked great!!!! My daughter was so happy! She wants to make more: one for her orchestra director (a ukulele fanatic) and for herself but this time using the instrument parts.

Thank you so much for creating this Instructable!!!!!

On a separate note, do you have any suggestions for a cutting utensil? We used an Exacto knife but had an extremely difficult cutting through the layers.

Awesome! It looks amazing! I'm so excited to hear about your improvements to the design... The tuners and strings are exactly the updates that I wanted to make to the design so that it would be totally possible to build without buying any ukulele specific hardware. A trip to the "Fix-n-Feed" could get you everything you need. Hope she does well on her project and I am very glad you shared with me!

A+, thank you! And it was the only instrument that met the criteria being heard from the back of the room AND gave her extra credit for also being able to play a tune that was recognizable. Her orchestra instructor also was impressed. I believe his exact words were "very cool!"

Oh yeah, I used an exacto blade to cut it, but just because that's what I had. Someone said they were going to try to lay it up and glue it and then use a band saw or scroll saw. No reports back on that. I've built 3 and I used the exacto on all of them.

Okay so I have Three questions, 1) What size hinges are you using?2) How thick are the threaded bolts/ nut you used?3) I'm considering also having the uke electric, are there any directions to construct it in the electric format you have available for me? Ps Awesome instructable c: Thanks!

Came out pretty good in my opinion though I used pencils with notches in them for the nut and bridge and toothpicks for frets. There is quite a bit of a curve on the neck because I rushed to get the strings on I guess but it's still playable. :D

thank you so much for the instructable.. Very simple and easy to do. I did cut myself but its all good because I can now say that I made a homemade instrument and not just any one, but a freakin ukulele!!!!!!!

Hi, thanks for this instructable, it looks awesome! I´m trying to make it now but i´m a bit stuck on step 11/12. the neck is way too thick, I can only fit about 6 on there. should I cut the notch wider or leave out some pieces? Also what´s the difference between the a and b neck pieces, is it important? thank you

Sort of...I measured how many pieces made a normal neck size and used that. The uke funcioned after some adjustments but the cardboard is far too weak for the string tension, bends like crazy, even after attempts to brace it with small pieces of wood on the sides. I think I need to make the neck from wood. How did yours not bend? Thanks for the reply :]

Looks like you are probably right... Your measurements look good. Are your frets glued down? I found that a few of my frets were sticking up and would touch the string at the wrong time. If you put a straight edge across all the frets you can pick out the high ones. Also, you can try to shim the bridge a litter higher if this is the problem as it will make it slightly less likely that the string will touch other frets.

I'd made one from your directions awhile ago, but never got around to posting it! I installed a little piezo pickup too! I also printed of my my favorite band's singer on the front, and even got it signed! Awesome instructable! (the image uploader's being glitchy, but here's a link to some pics! http://imgur.com/o42Cgl1,R6A7gAg,OOz6oG8,UZIhVGW )

Cool! I also built an electric version Flying V style with a piezo pickup. The guy at radio shack told me it wouldn't work, but it works wonderfully. Glad to see it has worked for you too... Like the special touches!

thank a lot for this instructable. it was awesome to create this ukulele from cardboard and it work perfectly. except one little problem... I tuned the strings and all but when I press a fret, its not the sound that is supposed to be. do you think you can help me with this?

Just one quick question, how would you rate the durability of the uke? I mean, I'm not going to go about smashing it or anything, but I just don't want the thing to be destroyed by a minor accident, you know? Does all the cardboard packed together keep the uke pretty sturdy?

1) You can buy tuners at music stores. You don't have to get ukulele specific tuners. I bought one set at a little shop and another set on amazon.com. They key is that you get tuners that have a flanged bushing.... not all of them have that.

2) I'm not sure what kind of card board you are considering. I'm sure that there are other types of cardboard that would work for this project. I chose to use mostly corrugated cardboard because it is stiff and its strength to weight ratio is high. Also, I had a lot of it. If you make it out of something else and it works, I would be interested to see the results.